"There are groups that wait for it," she says, "And women that buy a dozen each year to give to their mothers, sisters and girlfriends."
Since the proliferation of pink merchandise, there's been a bit of backlash from certain corners, mainly those who worry that some of items aren't contributing much to the cause.
A California-based organization called Breast Cancer Action started a campaign called Think Before You Pink, urging consumers to pay attention to how much companies donate through promotions and to what they call the hypocrisy of "pinkwashing," or companies that sell pink products but are also somehow linked to causing the disease.
The group points to BMW, for instance, which donates to Komen. Chemicals found in automobile exhaust have been associated with breast cancer.
Komen's McGee urges people to make "informed" pink purchases. On its Web site, Komen lists five questions to ask about pink products, including "Is this company committed?" and "Whom does the program benefit?"
"Every year, there are products that don't provide full disclosure," she says. "People have to be informed consumers, and our five questions can help you separate the wheat from the chaff."
Wright doesn't spend much time worrying about any of that. She volunteers to organize Baltimore's Race for the Cure, and with that as her main contribution to the cause, she'll buy whatever pink things she wants.
"I don't need to worry about where my money's going if I like the product," she says. "Nobody's going to talk me out of it."
Cantrell wonders whether, with the success of the breast cancer pink campaign, there might be such a thing as too much pink.
"If there's pink applesauce, pink Triscuits, pink whatever, at some point do you have to worry, 'Are we diluting it?' " she asks. "Is pink starting to lose its strength if it's seen everywhere? I would assume that's something an organization thinks about."
In any case, the professor thinks that the pink ribbon has become such a key part of the cultural vernacular - sparking imitators like the red campaign to fight AIDS in Africa, Lance Armstrong's "Live Strong" yellow wristbands - that the next time a cause needs a marketing strategy, advocates will have to stretch their creativity.
"At what point do we run out of colors?" she says. "An organization needs to ask not what's my bracelet or ribbon strategy, but what is another powerful way to become part of the cultural conversation?"
Ask yourself ...
Susan G. Komen for the Cure recommends that with so many pink products on the market, supposedly benefiting breast cancer causes, people should keep five things in mind:
Is this company committed?: Visit the company's Web site to make sure it's credible and committed to the cause.
How is the program structured?: Is the company clearly stating how the money is raised and how much will go to charity?
Whom does the program benefit?: Does it support a well-managed, reputable nonprofit or fund?
How will the organization that benefits use my money?: Will the dollars go to research, education, community programs?
Is the program meaningful to me?: Selecting the right program is a personal choice based on your interests, your passions and a cause that is important to you.
- Komen
